The Real Tie that Binds?

This is an interesting article in the Boston Herald. - Robert A. DeLeo tied to tribe flack - funny how I didn't hear anything about this on WBZ newsradio today....that would have really made me gasp!

Apparently House Speaker DeLeo amongst other members of our legislature share the exact same public relations consultant, Brooke Scannell, as Mashpee Wampanoag tribal leader Cedric Cromwell. But apparently Ms. Scannell doesn't see what the big hub-bub is all about...

"My company consults to clients including campaign committees and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe,...The public relations services provided to the Tribe do not include lobbying legislators on gaming or any other issues. I do not discuss the Tribe’s interests with any of my company's other clients" - Brooke Scannell

Okay, I get that but the bottom line is this....this screams conflict of interest. Which, in my opinon should have raised flags 3 years ago...long before the this casino bill passed and not too long after Governor Deval Patrick's three casino plan failed.

We all understand the potential ramafications of a conflict of interest - a situation when an individual, such as Brooke Scannell or organization, such as the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe or perhaps our fearless leaders on Beacon Hill, is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other. It is a situation that has the potential to undermine the impartiality of a person because of the possibility of a clash between the person's self-interest and professional interest or public interest. The presence of a conflict of interest is independent from the execution of impropriety. So basically, a conflict of interest when discovered should be voluntarily defused before any corruption occurs. But it's okay because they don't talk to each other about the big casino bill elephant in the room.

I mean, one client has been rampaging all over southeast Massachusetts looking for a casino site while the majority of her other clients...yes, that's plural....played intregal roles in passing some serious controversial legislation in this State. Call me naive, but when you also include all the special interest money being lavished all over our lawmakers, it really makes one wonder what the hell is going on up on Beacon Hill. At least Governor Patrick is smart enough to not even go there...

So what exactly did Ms. Scannell say again? Oh yeah.....

The public relations services provided to the Tribe do not include lobbying legislators on gaming or any other issues.

And that may be true, but here is why it is a conflict of interest - public relations is a form of lobbying but instead of directly influencing policy makers, they are influencing - or lobbying for public opinion in their favor on a particular subject. Perhaps one could say they are lobbying those who vote for policy makers without necessarily lobbying the policy makers themselves - just their opinons on important issues such as....oooh....legalizing casino gambling in Massachusetts while using the twist of inevitability of Tribal casinos in Massachusetts....just sayin'.....so one could actually wonder about the tie that binds some Beacon Hill legislators and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and maybe find it actually is kinda....ummmm....hinky.

None of these individuals should be surprised that people are upset or cynical, and not for nothing, but becoming the fundraiser for DeLeo's PAC right around the time she began representing the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe is a good enough reason to investigate exactly how this casino bill was lobbied and then passed. I mean, speaking for myself, there is absolutely no warm and fuzzy going on here in regards to a fair and open process for passing legislation that will forever transform the Spirit of Massachusetts.

- be the change you want to see in the world -